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(No Model.)

B. A. FOSTER.

TRAUE HITCH.

No. 295,378. Patented -Mam. 18, 1884.

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4m Q41 ATfoRNEYs WITNESSES u FEYZRS "WW-Lithographer, Viz-mm, 04 a UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DAVID A. FOSTER, OF DUBLIN, INDIANA.

TRACE-HITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 295,378, dated March 18, 1884.

Application filed December 10,1883. (N model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID A. Fos'rnn, a citizen of the United Eltates, residing at Dub- I lin, in the county of Wayne and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spring-Hitches; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, refer ence being had to the accompanyingdrawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a representation of a top view of the spring-hitch. Fig. 2 is afront view, partially in section.

This invention has relation to means of attachment for draft tugs or traces; and it consists in the construction and novel arrangement of devices, as hereinafter set forth, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, the letters A A designate the shafts, and B the crossbar, which may be either curved or straight. My attachment-plates are designed to be bolted to the shafts and cross-bar at their junction.

0 indicates the spring-hitch or attachment, which consists of a lower plate, an upper or covering plate, a hitch-lever, and a spring.

In the construction illustrated, D represents aT-forin brace plate, which is placed under the shafts and crossbar at the joints, and is perforated for the passage of the bolts e.

F indicates afulcrum-plate, the foot y of which is slotted, as at h, to provide means of adjustment when desirable. The hollow post k of this plate is formed with-a bearing, 1, and shoulder m, to receive the eye it of the hitch-lever L, which is designed to be pivoted on this bearing. The lever L extends outward from its pivotal bearing, having a forwardly-extending branch or arm, E,which terminates in a hook or catch, p, for the tug, and an outwardly-extending arm, G, having a catch, q, also designed for the attachment of the end of the tug, but farther to the rear. In this manner means. of attachment for long and short tugs are provided. The arm G of the hitch-lever L is formed with a turn or bearing, r, to engage the rear end of aspring, s.

H indicates a lower plate, which is usually made with slotted feet t, and is secured to the thill by bolts 6. This plate is formed with a recess or hearing, o, to receive and hold the spring 5. to allow the water to drip therefrom in wet weather.

K represents acovzr-plate, which is securely bolted to the cross-bar and thill, resting on the fulcrum-plate F and the bcaringplate H, and serving not only to protect the spring and hitch-lever, but also to strengthen the thill and crossbar at the junction.

The operation of the springs s is very important, in that they give an easy elastic motion to the tugs which are connected to the hitch-levers.

In order to prevent friction on the tug, the outer catch, q, is turned upward, and the front outer foot, 2, of the cover-plate is depressed out of the way of the tug.

, Having described this invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s

1. The trace-lever having an outer arm provided with a terminal catch, and a forward arm, also provided with a terminal catch, substantially as specified.

2. The fulcrum-plate having a shouldered bearing for the eye of the trace-lever, substan- DAVID A. FOSTER.

\Vitnesses:

A. G. COMPTON, J. N. GILBERT.

A notch, w, is made in the recess 1),. 

